23andMe survey shows who is most affected by Long COVID

Genetic testing service 23andMe contains the DNA information of millions of people and provides a useful tool for researchers who want to learn more about different diseases. And that includes long COVID.

A new survey conducted by Genetic Testing website has found some interesting information about long COVID and the types of people who are more likely to be affected. Their findings include: Women are more likely to have long-term COVID, along with people coping with mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.

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The data comes from 100,000 self-reports, which sets it apart from most other academic studies that rely on data shared by government agencies.

“We are able to paint a more complete picture of the COVID experience than would be possible just by using medical records,” said Dr. Stella Aslibekyan, a genetic epidemiologist for 23andme, to SF Gate.

A closer look at the study reveals some risk factors for long COVID, including a diagnosis of anxiety or depression, which can double your risk of developing long COVID symptoms. Pre-existing conditions such as cardiometabolic diseases also increased the risk of a long COVID, this time by 90%.

More than half of the participants reported no difference after vaccination. Those who claimed vaccines improved their symptoms.

There was some conflicting evidence produced by the study. While women have been found to be more affected by long COVID than men, real data shows the opposite; Men are more likely to have long-term COVID and are also more likely to die from the virus.

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According to the article highlighting 23andMe’s findings, this study is part of a series of data examining the impact of the pandemic since it began in 2020. Some areas of interest mentioned include blood types and how these can affect prognosis of the virus and the implications of genetics and COVID-19.